Inter-provider network architecture

Abstract

An inter-provider network architecture system is disclosed. In particular, the system may enable a service provider network and a partner network to take advantage of each other's network cores, such that the resources of the service provider network and the partner network may be more effectively utilized to service customers of both networks. By doing so, not only can the service provider network and the partner network take advantage of each other's network resources, but they can also give each other's customers broader network reach into regions that are not typically serviced by their own networks. The service provider network may effectively accomplish this by providing a limited view of the service provider network to the partner network, or vice versa, so that traffic and data can flow between the networks without each network having to be fully aware of each other's entire network topologies.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a service provider exchange point in a service provider network, the service provider exchange point having a processor, and a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an advertisement of a network prefix of a customer device in communication with a service provider edge router in the service provider network; 
 transmitting the advertisement of the network prefix for the customer device with a label to a partner provider exchange point in a partner network, wherein the label identifies the service provider exchange point as a next hop, wherein the label is transmitted to the partner provider exchange point responsive to an access control list indicating that the label is agreed to by the service provider network and the partner network; and 
 receiving traffic intended for the customer device responsive to a cost metric indicating that the service provider exchange point is in a shortest path from a partner provider edge router in the partner network, wherein the traffic is received based in part on an advertisement of a loopback of the service provider exchange point and the advertisement of the network prefix with the label. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a service provider core router provides an indication to a partner provider core router that the next hop for the service provider exchange point in the service provider network is the service provider core router in the service provider network. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise forwarding the traffic to the service provider edge router, wherein the service provider edge router forwards the traffic to the customer device. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise establishing an external border gateway protocol session with the partner provider exchange point in the partner network prior to transmitting the advertisement of the network prefix for the customer device with the label to the partner provider exchange point. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a service provider core router establishes a labeled external border gateway protocol session with a partner provider core router prior to transmitting the advertisement of the loopback of the service provider exchange point to the partner provider core router. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the service provider edge router establishes an interior border gateway protocol session with the service provider exchange point in the service provider network. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the partner provider edge router in the partner network establishes an interior border gateway protocol session with the partner provider exchange point in the partner network. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cost metric between the service provider network and the partner network is aligned. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic intended for the customer device is received from the partner provider edge router via a partner provider core router and a service provider core router. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the partner provider edge router encapsulates the traffic with a service provider exchange point label that identifies the service provider exchange point prior to the traffic being transmitted to the service provider exchange point. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise swapping the service provider exchange point label with a service provider edge label that identifies the service provider edge router prior to forwarding the traffic to the service provider edge router in the service provider network. 
     
     
       12. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a partner provider exchange point in a partner network, an advertisement of a network prefix for a customer device with a label, wherein the label identifies a service provider exchange point of a service provider network as a next hop, wherein the label is transmitted to the partner provider exchange point responsive to an access control list indicating that the label is agreed to by the service provider network and the partner network; and 
 providing, to the service provider exchange point, traffic intended for the customer device responsive to a cost metric indicating that the service provider exchange point is in a shortest path from a partner provider edge router in the partner network, wherein the traffic is provided based in part on an advertisement of a loopback of the service provider exchange point and the advertisement of the network prefix with the label. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein a service provider core router in the service provider network is utilized for providing the advertisement of the loopback of the service provider exchange point in the service provider network to a partner provider core router in communication with the partner provider edge router in the partner network. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the service provider core router in the service provider network provides an indication to the partner provider core router that a next hop for the service provider exchange point in the service provider network is the service provider core router. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the traffic is forwarded to a different service provider edge router in the service provider network if a service provider edge router experiences a failure, wherein a forwarding information base of the partner provider edge router does not need to be updated based on the failure. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein an external border gateway protocol session is established between the service provider exchange point in the service provider network and the partner provider exchange point in the partner network prior to transmitting the advertisement of the network prefix with the label to the partner provider exchange point. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the partner provider edge router encapsulates the traffic with a service provider exchange point label that identifies the service provider exchange point prior to the traffic being transmitted to the service provider exchange point. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cost metric comprises an accumulated interior gateway protocol metric that indicates a cost of reaching the service provider exchange point in the service provider network from the partner provider edge router in the partner network. 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 transmitting an advertisement of a network prefix for a customer device with a label to a partner provider exchange point in a partner network, wherein the customer device is in communication with a service provider edge router in a service provider network, wherein the label identifies a service provider exchange point in the service provider network as a next hop, wherein the label is transmitted to the partner provider exchange point responsive to an access control list indicating that the label is agreed to by the service provider network and the partner network; and 
 receiving traffic intended for the customer device responsive to a cost metric indicating that the service provider exchange point is in a shortest path from a partner provider edge router in the partner network, wherein the traffic is received based in part on an advertisement of a loopback of the service provider exchange point in the service provider network and the advertisement of the network prefix with the label. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the cost metric comprises an accumulated interior gateway protocol metric that indicates a cost of reaching the service provider exchange point in the service provider network from the partner provider edge router in the partner network.